John Zachariah Laurence

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John Zachariah Laurence (1829-1874) was an English ophthalmologist who practiced medicine in London. He was the founder of the South London Ophthalmic Hospital in 1857, which later became known as the Royal Eye Clinic.

In 1864 he became founder and editor of the Ophthalmic Review, the first English journal devoted to ophthalmology. In 1866 he described a syndrome of retinitis pigmentosa, loss of vision progressing to blindness, mental retardation, stunted stature and hypogonadism. This disease would become known as the Laurence-Moon syndrome, named along with his colleague Robert Charles Moon. Also, Laurence is credited for promoting the use of the ophthalmoscope in England.

Bibliography:

• The Sensibility of the Eye to Colour. 1861.
• Handbook of Ophthalmic Surgery for the Use of Practitioners; Written with Robert C. Moon. London, Robert Hardwicke, January 1, 1866.

External Source:

• Who Named It? John Z Laurence